D&D: Every Spelljammer in ‘Spelljammer: Adventures in Space’ – Part 1
You’d expect a boxed set called Spelljammer: Adventures in Space to have a lot of Spelljammers. And you’d be right.
Though the Astral Adventurers Guide might be a little light on the details of what’s in space — the mysteries of Wildspace and the Astral Sea are there for DMs to plumb on their own — there’s one thing it doesn’t lack, and that’s Spelljammers. Which is good, considering that’s what the heart of the book is. But here’s every Spelljammer in Spelljammer: Adventures in Space.
From the mighty Bombard with its massive cannon to the graceful Wasp Ship that can land on the ground (a rarity). Every Spelljammer in Spelljammer has its own quirks. And its own unique strengths. With so many available, how could you ever pick one? Today we’re going through the first eight (of 16) ships in the book.
Bombard
The Bombard is a Spelljamming ship designed by Giff. You can tell it’s built by Giff because it’s basically a big space gun. The ship gets its name from the massive cannon that dominates the front of the vessel. It’s big. Bigger than you think.
Each of the cannonballs it fires weighs 10 tons. A single shot can deal 16d10 to its target. It takes three actions to load the cannon, but only one to fire it. However, a Bombard can only carry up to 14 of these cannon balls. So make every shot count.
Aside from the massive cannon, it’s also a pretty resilient ship. Compared to every Spelljammer in Spelljammer, it’s not the fastest or the biggest. But it does do the most damage. On top of the big cannon, which gets its own deck, it also has two ballistae. And it can sail and float on water as well as air.
Damselfly Ship
As its name suggests, the Damselfly ship is swift and graceful. It’s also cramped and fragile. It’s the least resilient of all the Spelljammers, with a scant 200 hit points, but at AC 19 it boasts top-tier defenses.
Damselfly ships, out of every Spelljammer in Spelljammer, are most likely to be used for fast missions. When you need speed and firepower, the Damselfly has you covered. It boasts a ballista and a mangonel! As such, they’re often used as courier vessels and armored transports.
On occasion explorers or pirates will take them as well–as they’re hard to hit, they make good hit-and-run attackers. But even military commanders use these ships as command vessels since they can dart about and give orders as needed. They have the highest tier speed of any Spelljammer, matched only by the Shrike Vessel.
Sometimes, Damselfly captains will meet to race and run obstacle courses in these nimble ships.
Flying Fish Ship
Flying Fish Ships are the second most common vessel in Wildspace. They are a great all-around vessel. At a speed of 40ft, they move swifter than most Spelljamming ships (who top out at 35 ft per round or 4mph), and their ventral fins give them superb maneuverability.
They can also carry 13 tons of cargo, fit a crew of up to 10 people, and are 120 feet long, with room enough for whatever you need aboard.
A Flying Fish only has a ballista and mangonel for protection, but that’s more than enough to wave off casual Wild Space predators.
Hammerhead Ship
The Hammerhead ship is a popular, if infamous design. It is tough, with 400 total hit points (the highest that Spelljammers tend to have), and a decent AC of 15. These vessels can carry 30 tons of cargo, making them popular with merchants.
They also boast a ballista, two mangonels, and their signature, Hammerhead ram, which hits as hard as a Bombard’s cannon, and can push ships out of the way. These features make them popular with pirates. And as military line-breakers.
Heavy, and armored, they aren’t fast, but at 250 ft long, they’re big enough to pose a threat to most anything in Wildspace. Especially in packs.
Lamprey Ship
One of the weirder ships out there. The Lamprey ship is also among the oldest ship design out of every Spelljammer in Spelljammer.
The ship takes its name from the signature grappling jaws, a weapon that allows them to grab onto enemy ships dealing minor damage (only 4d10), but attaching to the ship. This allows the crew to board an enemy vessel safely. And it’s got 4 ballistae, so it’s capable of dealing an additional 12d10 with a full volley.
Living Ship
These are rare vessels. Most often captained by Druids, Rangers, or Clerics of nature deities. These ships are the perfect exploration vessel for one reason: fused into the aft deck of the ship, is a massive treant.
The treant weaves its roots into the ship, becoming as one with it. Which gives the ship the benefit of an ever-replenishing supply of fresh air. It constantly refreshes the air envelope, after a long rest. And on top of that, the treant repairs the ship, which only has 250 hit points. So they’re on the more fragile end.
These vessels, out of every Spelljammer in Spelljammer, are designed to go the furthest, but they’re not meant for much more. They don’t carry much cargo, nor more than a crew of five (plus the Treant). But if you want to chart unknown regions, a Living Ship is your greatest ally.
Nautiloid
The deadly mind flayer ship. A Nautiloid is a vessel that strikes fear into the hearts of those who see it. Though that’s more from its rumored captains and their dreadful predation.
These ships are built and grown. And have many powerful capabilities that give them a surprising edge in any combat. First off, there’s the weaponry, which consists of 4 ballistae, which do 3d10 each bolt, and a mangonel, which deals 5d10 and has longer ranges. And also the Nautiloid’s signature tentacles.
These tentacles can make one of two attacks. They can grapple a Huge or Gargantuan target, dealing 4d10 damage and reducing the target’s speed to 0 until released. Or they can make a melee attack against a creature within 30 feet. On a hit, they are teleported aboard the Spelljammer, and often, right into a Mindflayer’s waiting prison cell.
But then on top of all of that, a Nautiloid can, as an action, transport the vessel and all creatures aboard it to another plane of existence envisioned by the Spelljammer piloting it.
Nightspider
We close out with the Neogi Nightspider. This ship is perfect for ambushing other vessels. It’s hard to hit, with an AC of 19, and it’s got an above-average speed. But what really makes it deadly is the large crew size. With a crew of 25, the Nightspider and the Neogi (and usually Umber Hulks too) aboard can often overwhelm an enemy vessel in a matter of rounds.
Especially with 4 ballistae and a mangonel to soften them up first.
That’s it for the first half of every Spelljammer in Spelljammer. Be sure and check back soon for the rest!
